Thank You
by NomiNamikaze
Summary: A revolt leaves the Sand Village facing death and destruction, the village is in ruins, the number of bodies keeps getting higher and everyone loses someone they love. Everyone. Rated T for language, and lots of blood.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Notes_

_Glad I got this done. :)_

_Okay! So if you read, A Place to Stay...THAT'S GREAT I'M GLAD YOU ARE GOING TO READ THIS ONE TOO!_

_This one is going to be a lot shorter though._

_Next chapter is THURSDAY (10/4/2012)_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto! (god how I didn't miss disclaimers)**  
**_

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Chapter 1: Not a Scratch

The wind outside pushed up against the walls.

I was alone in bed when the large explosions started again continuing from this morning.

I rose from my bed, still in my old clothes, the ones that I slept in, back in Konoha, it was just a plain skirt, and a plain red t-shirt, that I used to sleep in, and put a scarf over my neck to block out the sand from outside. With the scarf I pulled a cloak over me, just a plain black one.

I hurried from my room and into my youngest, Hokori's, room. I picked him up and went down the hall and almost began knocking on my oldest daughters room. Then I remembered she was with her father. I also remembered that Akazuna, was now a chunin, and went out awhile ago with her team.

Hokori my six year old boy was sleeping still some how even though there were loud explosions booming.

"Lady Sakura!" cam a cry from a shinobi. He was at the bottom of the stairs, I hurried towards him and we both walked towards the door to the basement.

Down in the basement was a door that led down to a large room made of steel. It protected the villagers, women, children, and genin until the crisis was over. My basement was one of the secret entrances to this room. It was also used for ultimate protection during sandstorms.

At the top of the stairs I gave the shinobi Hokori. "Take him, I'm going out to help." I said quietly.

"But...Lady Sakura...these were the orders of Lord Kazekage..."

"I'll deal with him later." I said quickly. I put my hair into a high ponytail and ran from my house into the village, where the battle took place. I took down numerous enemies from the village not to far from here, the village revolted about two months ago.

The village that attacked was under our control, but were obviously unhappy with the situation.

"Sakura!" came a yell. It was Kankuro with his oldest son Kaiko coming towards me. I smiled at seeing them.

"So you two are okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, but your not if Gaara finds out your not down underneath. " he told me. It seemed that everyone had this sudden urge to protect me because I was married to the Kazekage. I could handle myself. They were all like that.

"Well, I can't just sit back and do nothing." I yelled becoming irritated.

"KANKURO, KAIKO! HURRY UP AND GET GOING!" yelled a shinobi up on top of a building taking down enemies. "WE LOST TO MANY AT THE FRONT OF THE VILLAGE, HELP OUT UP THERE!" he yelled just before an enemy ninja took him out sending him down to the ground in front of us.

I heard his body break as it impacted the ground.

He was dead, no doubt about it.

"We have to go." Kankuro said. "Don't let Gaara see you." he said before rushing off in the direction of the front of the village.

I was left again by myself. The most I was doing was killing the ones who made it close to the house.

They couldn't make it inside the house, it was possible that they would find the basement, and thus the door that led to tons of villagers. My house was the only house in Suna with an entrance all the other entrances were hidden around the village and were being heavily protected, true my house should be heavily protected but usually no one suspected that one of the entrances would be in the Kazekage's residence.

Three Sand showed up to cover the house for me.

Probably another pity action.

The sand underneath my feet began to move around a swirl. A sand storm, at all times.

No, he found me, I knew this feeling better than anyone.

"What are you doing?" he asked me with an annoyed expression.

"You shouldn't be worried about me, you have a whole village to protect. I'm going to the hospital." I told him, he kept his face emotionless.

"Go below." he said still with no emotion.

I appreciated him worrying about me, but it'd be nice if he actually acknowledged that I was strong and could handle myself.

"I'm in charge of the hospital I can't just not go, the medics are counting on me just like everyone else is for you."

"I can't afford to lose you, go underneath." he said again.

"And I can't leave all those injured. Those people risked their lives, the least I could do is heal them back up." I told him. "I'll be in the hospital, I'll be safe." He gritted his teeth at me, getting angry at me trying to convince him to let me go.

He almost always lost an argument with me, most of the time even if he did win the argument, I went ahead and did it anyway, no matter what he wanted, or what we were arguing about.

"You better not have a scratch on you." he said and then disappeared into the sand.

I ran through the village to get to the hospital.

The village was a mess, there were bodies, lifeless, on the ground. Shinobi on the tops of buildings flying up against each other. Kunai traveled through the air waiting to impale someone soon. The village was in rubble, buildings were getting torn apart and the explosions were still going on.

And I finally reached the hospital, which looked better than I expected it to be.

Blood and bodies filled the room. I took charge immediately.

"Those able to walk please go to the second waiting room at the end of the hall. Those with minor injuries move to Room 3 down the hall on the right. Those unable to move stay were you are, we'll come to you." I said. Organization of patients was always annoying I didn't understand why_ I_ had to do it.

When I come they should already be organized into rooms. "All medics to me."

When I all thirty huddled around me I put fifteen of them on emergency duty.

I all together had 93 medics.

The 63 were on field duty.

They were specially trained to work in those situations. I sent five to the back room and the ten went to Room 3.

"When a patient is stable take them to the third floor, six to a room." I ran to the back room helping the others. "When these patients are ready take them to the top floor. Ten to a room."

As more people started to pile in I tried to work even faster. There were still medics on the OR floor, but they were piled high with so many people it was hard to breathe up there. The medics were becoming exhausted and more shinobi came in, they were coming in faster than we had the time to escort them to the correct room.

It was going to be a long night.

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_Edit. June 29th._

_There will be a prequel to this, so I guess this can be called a sequel, the prequel, going through the story how Sakura and Gaara came to be should be up and running by July 14th 2013_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes**

**So...this didn't go up like I wanted to on Thursday. Without thinking I picked like the busiest day for me.  
**

**Well sorry. To make up for it I have this long chapter for you! :)  
**

**The next chapter will probably go up Sunday...(10/7/2012)  
**

**All tomorrow I am working on the story that has no name...I'm just glad A Place to Stay is over.  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!  
**

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Chapter 2: Drowning in the Dead

It was morning and I was laying on the floor of one of the floors, if I remembered correctly it was the OR floor, not to be mistaken for the OR room, in the hospital.

My back was against the wall.

I got a total two hours of sleep.

The revolt was over and my whole body was stiff and tired.

Since five this morning the dead continuously were brought it. Woman, children, and shinobi of both Suna and the other village.

All the shinobi who we had records of were sent to a large room on the forth floor to I.D them. Once they were identified, their names written down, their bodies were sealed by the sealing corps, something that was made a law of the Wind Country since the war.

The family was then told about the death and they would be given their headband they wore, it they were a shinobi, not much closure because of no body, but it was best. Some called it cruel to seal the body before consulting the family.

After a while we started taking pictures of the people we couldn't identify and their picture was put on a roll around on the screens that were set up around Suna for information, they would have to come to the hospital, confirm the body and then the body would be sealed and a record of their death was written out.

Bodies from the other village, that was tricky, because we would have no record of them at all. I ordered them to be burned, making a body count that would be taken to the village and then they would sort out it from there, by taking attendance.

The village was being controlled by Temari for the time being, while Suna figured out what they were going to do and who would be set in charge of that village.

"Lady Sakura..." came a voice from above me. I was still on the floor. Completely exhausted to even think right now about getting up.

"Yes?" I answered.

I was barely awake I couldn't even tell you the name of the medic who stood in front of me.

"I don't know how to say this..." they said. I now was angry.

This medic stood in front of me wasting time while they could be saving someone's life. I worked non-stop for two days straight, giving orders, performing operations, performing autopsies, and saving villagers and shinobi who were close to death and here was one of my medics standing before me talking.

Have I taught my medics nothing?

"I don't know if you noticed but there's no time for you to take your good old time and say something that you don't even know how to say!" I yelled. "Go save someone's god damn life instead of talking to me!" I was irritable and walked out of the hospital.

I haven't been outside in two days.

Buildings ruined.

Garbage everywhere.

The stench of the dead being loaded onto a wagon, to be taken a buried somewhere close outside the village in one of the cemeteries, struck my nose.

The smell killed my senses and I stood their for a moment trying to collect my thoughts.

Shinobi running around shouting things to each other, woman on the street looking at what was once their home that they lost now, not only their husband or even children.

I walked through the streets, that weren't even recognizable to my house.

When I got there I wasn't surprised to see it in ruins and to the sight of it being completely demolished.

I didn't pity myself or even think how unfortunate I was. All I thought about was that thankfully there was no one in the house when it crumbled to the ground.

A _house_ could be rebuilt.

I turned directions and walked towards the Kage building.

Or what was left of it.

There were rooms there, and most likely all five of us would be sharing Gaara's office as a house until another was rebuilt.

I walked up the stairs to the office and opened the door. No one was here.

I sat down on the couch. And I took a look at my arms and legs. They were full of dirt and other people's blood stained the skin. But at this point in time I didn't care it felt like all that mattered was that I could now sleep. So I did.

I woke up to still there being no one here. Outside it was getting dark so I rose to go to the bathroom and wash myself up. I cleaned the dirt and blood from myself even though I had no other clothing except the ones on my back I did the best I could.

I went back to the office and now finally someone was there. I wasn't alone finally anymore.

Gaara sat at his desk turned around looking out the window. I went over to him and came to his side. I kissed him the cheek. Happy to see him alive.

"See? No scratches." I said with a large smile on my face. His face expressionless still starred at the window.

He always showed his true emotions around me but I thought it was odd how he didn't even acknowledge I was there. I started to think crazy thoughts.

Was I dead?

Was I a ghost?

Could he see me? All these stupid thoughts filled my head. No I wasn't dead, I couldn't be dead. But what if I was?

"Sakura..." he mumbled looking to the floor. Was I dead was he just thinking about me, thinking aloud? These thoughts were ridiculous. There were so such things as ghosts. But I answered his mumble of my name.

"What? What's wrong?" I said looking at him.

My smile vanished and yet he still wore the expressionless face that was still there moments ago.

"You look tired you should get some rest." he said, a sigh of relief went through me so quietly he didn't notice. I wasn't dead. I was not a ghost and I mentally slapped myself for even thinking that.

"No, I just woke. What is it?" I asked. "I never seen you like this." he now turned his head to look at me.

He also looked exhausted and had wounds that were not even properly bandaged. He got up and walked me over to the couch and we sat down.

What was this? Why couldn't he tell me this over there? He still starred and took his hand and held it. He flinched at my touch but I was used to the feeling. I was beginning to worry.

Was this something I couldn't handle? The mental exhaustion started to take its toll.

"It's Akazuna...she's dead." Dead?

No. I saw her leaving to visit Naruto over in Konoha, sneaking out and sleeping over her friends house, leaving to go on a mission with Temari, because she wanted to the Kazekage one day and she thought Temari could help her with all of the government type things because Gaara was always to busy to discuss that.

Dead. No, she wasn't dead.

"She's gone Sakura." he said tightening the grip on my hands.

This was real. Those words stayed in my head and kept repeating again and again. I lost my middle child and I wasn't even crying. I would never be able to see her again, my own daughter, and not a tear shed from my eyes in that moment.

I couldn't believe the words that just struck my ears and made it's way down to my heart. The pressure piled high on me. I felt like I was drowning like no one could save me, I couldn't hear them and they couldn't hear me because I was so far under.

"Sakura.." I snapped from the pressure. I could breathe again, and without knowing I had already started to cry. Tears, I felt, were coming down my face running onto my clothing.

The next morning Gaara woke me up. I was still in my clothing from before and my head was throbbing.

I tried to remember what happened yesterday and all I remembered was pure pain and sadness. I no longer and two daughters.

Only one. I slept in the office. Kaura, my daughter, was downstairs in the large meeting room where free food was set up for the whole village.

Kaura was with Shikako and Nomi, Shikamaru's and Temari's children.

Naru, Kankuro's wife, was on a mission with Kaiko and wouldn't be returning for a while. The missions were very scarce and most shinobi were rebuilding the village.

Shikamaru was with Gaara helping with all the strategies for building the village again from dust and sending shinobi out on missions at the same time.

Money was also scarce and we needed to do all the missions as we could.

Shikamaru planned on contacting Naruto. But Naruto being him was on his way here, with Kiba, and Neji.

He left Kakashi in charge of the village while he was away.

Hokori was out helping Gaara, he refused to be left home while all the men worked. Tyo, Kankuro's two year old was in the room with Kaura. Hokori wanted to help the village out the most. Everyone seemed to be were they should be.

But it wasn't right. It didn't feel like family to me. Without them noticing I slipped out of the house.

I really didn't plan on going anywhere or even know where I was walking to. But I found myself at the hospital.

I walked inside, ignoring the stares coming from everyone around me and walked into my office on the sixth floor. I

need something to show me that whatever this was it wasn't a nightmare. That this was real. It didn't feel real.

Like I was living my life outside my body, as though it was nothing more than a dream. And this was all going to end when I woke up the next morning to see none of this ever even happened.

Lady Akazuna. That was the name written on this clip board, filled with all other shinobi who died. It was real enough for me to sit down and cry.

The tears flowed onto the paper leaving the stain that I hated. I took the envelope from my desk. Addressed to me. I opened it.

I've known about these ceremonies. All people invited were asked to attend it to honor the dead. This ceremony was only for the loved ones.

There would later come a time were there would be one held for the village. Gaara has been to every one. He had to. He had to make speeches of the dead. Ones that he always had a tough time writing.

And it finally hit me. Hard. In the chest.

My daughter was dead.

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**:'( That was sad.**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I had difficultly trying to figure out who Naruto was bringing with him to the village. I was gonna have Kakshi come with Kiba and have Neji put in charge for some reason...but then I thought...Kakashi was supposed to be the Hokage at one point in the series but then Tsunade woke up and all that stuff...you know blah blah blah...Then i was gonna have Sasuke come...for god knows what reason but I couldn't seem to fit him in with the story. So for now Sasuke is dead. And Tsunade is I don't know...retired and drinking somewhere... :)  
**

Voice your opinions! I love opinions!

Edit. June 29th.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Notes_

_This took me awhile because I had to fix so much stuff, add so much stuff. Because I'm trying to make this a little longer than it first was._

_So bare with me._

_I don't have an ending date yet...Because I still don't know how much I will add or if I'm doing an Epilogue_

_I hope i get to do one. I love epilogues. I don't like leaving a story having letting people have no idea how it ends or what happens to them._

_So for all of my stories there will most likely be an Epilogue. The one i have in mind for this story though...Some of you might not like..._

_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!_

_I'm so glad that I still see people reading A PLACE TO STAY that's awesome._

_READ AND REVIEW**  
**_

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Chapter 3: A Family

When I got to the Kage building I walked up to the office and opened the door. Shikamaru was pacing back and forth.

"Sakura!" he yelled out. He was rather loud considering he wasn't really a loud person at all.

He rushed over a hugged me tight. He didn't rush to things either.

"Sakura, thank god your okay, we've been worried sick." he said. Kankuro walked in and started yelling at me how I just wondered off without telling anyone. I didn't understand. I wasn't a child why did I have to tell someone if I was leaving?

"Gaara went out in the village to try and find you!" Kankuro said yelling. He seemed so pissed off at the fact that I "wondered off". I went to the hospital, where I work.

I honestly didn't think that was wondering off.

"I'm fine. I just went to hospital to clear my head." Half was the truth.

I woke up next to Gaara the next day. He just laid there asleep. It made me feel a little better when I saw him sleep.

Ever since the tailed beast was extracted from him he was always able to sleep.

Shikamaru came in a little less than an hour and Gaara left for work. I felt like I was being babysat.

Last night wasn't one off the best nights. Gaara had sent the kids over to stay with Kankuro for the night.

At the time I thought nothing of it. He seemed so angry when he came through the door. And he demanded where I tell his where I was, why I was there, why I didn't tell anyone I left, and what was I doing there.

I felt like I was being interrogated. I answered all of his questions again thinking nothing of it, he was just worried is all I told myself during my interview.

However the rest of the night was spent screaming at each other.

Was this how it was going to be?

Us continuously screaming at each other. Taking the blame for her death secretly to ourselves. Being angry at each other was just a side affect.

At the end, in the early morning I was crying. And that resulted in him holding me until I stopped. I couldn't tell if I was crying because of the fight or because how the death of my daughter.

_Was this how it was going to be?_

I got up from the floor, there was a bed made from blankets there, and walked over to his desk.

There on the desk was were the letter lay from yesterday. The date was for next week. I put on a cloak put on the hood and opened the door the balcony and stood outside for a good half hour.

Doing nothing, just thinking. I didn't want to go to this memorial it would be filled with to many people who knew who I was and not enough of the people I knew.

They would tell me that they were sorry for my loss and I wouldn't know how to return the comment seeing as though I would have no idea who they were.

Gaara was good at that stuff, knowing everyone. Not me.

"Mommy!" came a cry from behind me. I turned around to see Hokori's smile and wide eyes. Kaura was behind him leaning on the door way. I picked up Hokori and held him. He was getting so big.

"Where's daddy?" I asked him.

"Sleeping." he said smiling.

"You guys hungry, I'll take you down stairs to get something...there should be food left." I asked.

"No." Kaura said coldly. "Uncle Kankuro fed us already."

God she could be so cold at times. She obviously got that trait from her father. But I shrugged it off.

Gaara who meanwhile woke up wasn't to happy with Kaura's response to me. I looked at him and smiled letting him know it was all right. He made his way over to me and took Hokori from me hugging him and Hokori hugged him back and smiled. Hokori was taking this better than everyone in the village. He was putting on a well of an act for everyone.

"I'm going to go then. Shikamaru is probably waiting for me downstairs." he said. "Temari is coming home today. She's leaving Matsuri in charge while she comes for the memorial. She should be arriving around noon. She says to come over for dinner tonight. I have a meeting tonight with the council so I can't go."

"Doesn't that mean she is going, and Shikamaru?" I asked him. They were on the council. Wait a minute...so was I. He shook his head.

"It'll only be me, Baki, and Ebizo." he said. "We're discussing all of the subjects before we present them to anyone else."

Geez. That old man was still alive?

"I'll see you later." he said and then put Hokori down and tousled his hair. He walked out the door. So dinner with Temari, Shikamaru, my kids and theirs. Without Gaara. It seemed that family was getting smaller and smaller every day.

Kaura was no where to be found when I turned around.

"She left." Hokori said. Left for what? Where the hell was she? There's only so many places you could go in a destructed village.

I took Hokori in my hand and we walked out of the Kage building.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked him.

"Mommy..." he said silently.

"Hm? What is it?" I asked he suddenly got all depressed. I knew he missed his sister but he always seemed to hide it, like his father who never showed any emotion. We stopped walking when he let go of my hand.

"Kaura said, we're not a family anymore. She heard you and Daddy yelling last night." he said. Not a family?

"How did she hear us yelling last night?" I asked. She was at Kankuro's last night.

"She sneaked out." he said. "She didn't want to stay at Uncle's" he was so upset about this. "Why were you fighting wit Daddy?" I bent down to his level to talk to him better. I smiled at him.

"Listen, Hokori, Daddy and I were yelled at each other, but, that was something married couples do." I had to come up with something fast. "And we're still a family no matter what." I said smiling into his face.

He immediately got over joyed with the fact that his sister was wrong.

"You don't have to worry and Daddy and me. Okay?" I said smiling even wider. He nodded his head happily.

It was getting dark and I realized I slept later than I thought. Hokori and I walked across the village.

Temari's house wasn't that bad wreaked it was still standing and perfectly livable. The shinobi even asked to repair their house first but Shikamaru refused and told them to help the others first.

When we walked in the door the house was filled with the smell of soup and the cool air greeted us and was different from the hot air outside.

"Sakura!" Temari yelled running over to me. She took me in a hug and told Hokori that Shikako and Nomi were upstairs and hurried up to see them. Even though Shikako was thirteen, and Nomi was ten he still enjoyed hanging out with them.

Temari took me down the hall into the kitchen. We passed Shikamaru who was sitting in the living room reading a newspaper and we sat down at the table. There was a pile of books on table.

"Sorry about the mess. These are all Shikako's." they were all books on different things.

From the types of chakra natures and then there were books on Hurricane Release something only Shikako developed. A mixture of water nature, earth nature, and wind nature.

He somehow possesed three chakra natures only being a chunin.

"He was planning on doing the jonin exams with Akazuna and Kaiko."

Temari said. Akazuna was going into the jonin exams? I didn't even know.

"SHIKAMARU!" she suddenly yelled I always wondered how Temari and Shikamaru worked. They were complete opposites he was lazy and not as lively as Temari was. But they always seemed to love each other.

"TELL SHIKAKO TO COME GET HIS BOOKS!" she yelled to him. I heard no movement or sound of that Shikamaru was doing what he was told to do. But seconds later footsteps were running down the stairs and came into the kitchen.

He knew that Shikako heard her.

Shikako was definitely the spitting image of his father. It seemed that he had no traits from his mother what so ever, but if I remembered correctly he wasn't lazy. But he was smart.

He didn't have the Shadow Possession genes though. Nomi had that.

Shikako ran with his books upstairs. And Temari took out the spoon for the soup and laid it on a plate on the stove.

"Hm. Finished." she said triumphantly. "TIME FOR DINNER!" she yelled again at the top of her lungs.

Everyone came running from upstairs. Nomi put bowls on the table and Shikako got spoons for everyone and poured water into glasses.

It seemed like it was so routine. Everyone was now at the table except Shikamaru who took his good old time at walking into the kitchen a couple minutes later.

We all started to eat the food and I noticed Kaura wasn't here. Not that it bothered me, but I was completely annoyed by the fact that she told Hokori that we weren't a family anymore. We finished the meal and Hokori wanted to stay over.

Temari had no problem with it so I said it was fine. The three ran from the kitchen and into the back yard. I could hear them running around and screaming. "Try and catch me!" they were playing tag. And I was overjoyed with the fact that even Hokori proved Kaura wrong. We were still a family.

I left an hour later after talking with Temari and Shikamaru for awhile. Mostly about Kaura lately. They told me it was just a phase and she would get over it. I made my way back to the Kage building after saying goodbye to Hokori.

I walked up the stairs to the office at the food of the door was a bouquet of sunflowers. They were my favorite. There was a card attached to it and written was.

**_Mom,_**

**_Happy Mother's Day!_**

**_P.S. I paid for this by myself, and bought it without anyone else knowing!_**

**_Don't believe a word the others say._**

**_Love, Akazuna_**

I completely forgot about Mother's Day. On a separate card.

**Due to the revolt the bouquet for Lady Sakura of Suna was delayed.**

**Our apologies, we couldn't do anything sooner.**

**Suna Flower Company**

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**I liked this chapter...Even though my back hurts from being hunched over writing all the time on this computer. Alas...I still have not finished the Sasuke and Sakura story...I would start posting it BUT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT A NAME FOR IT**

**Hope you liked this chapter! REVIEW! I love opinions!  
**

_The SakuraxSasuke story is now under way, There are updates every Friday. And the name of it is The Difference Between You and I, additional information can be found in my profile!_

_Edit. June 29th_


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes**

**Lots of announcements today. This story ends 10/13/2012, I am booked solid for the rest of the week!  
**

**The story, I have not named yet...hopefully will be ready for publishing 10/21/2012  
**

**For information on this please see my profile!  
**

**DISCLAIMER:I DO NOT OWN NARUTO AND JUST TO BE SAFE I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE WHICH I MENTIONED UP THERE ^^^^  
**

**READ AND REVIEW!  
**

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Chapter 4: This Crack in my Heart

I dress in a black V-neck and a long black skirt that went down to my knees.

I slid on my heels that I would usually never wear. They were black and the heel wasn't even two inches off the ground.

I walked from the bathroom I dressed in into Hokori's walk-in closet, it wasn't anything more than a large closet filled with cabinets for documents. He was trying to change into his clothing.

He had been crying. His eyes puffy and red and when I walked in his unhappy face became accompanied by a happy attitude. It was odd seeing him cry. Even as a baby he barely cried.

I helped him dress and he also slid into his black ninja sandals he insisted he needed, despite the ones he had already.

Kaura came from the other room across the hall, dressed in tight black leggings down to her ankles, a short black skirt, and a low cut black v-neck. Black was the fashion for the day.

Today was none other than the day of the memorial.

I walked into the office where my husband did most of his work. He had been in meetings all morning.

On the desk was my Konoha head band and my Suna head band. I wish I could wear both. But I wouldn't have anywhere to put the other. I picked up the Konoha head band and starred. I put it back down and put on the Suna one on my head.

We were meeting Shikamaru and his kids. Temari had also been in meetings all morning. All different ones from the ones Gaara was in. She was more involved in neighboring villages and treaties between them.

Gaara focused more on the village itself. Kankuro had been in the meetings with Gaara as well but Naru was on the committee for the memorial and was already at the sight.

Their children were not going to be coming. Normally myself and Shikamaru would be involved in these meetings but they let us off so we could be with the children.

We arrived at the sight early, it was already packed. The small area in the back of the village was filled with black. And the air was filled with the sadness of everyone's pain.

A small stage was built in the back. In front of the twenty three black rocks. These rocks were engraved with the names of the shinobi who lost their lives fighting for the village. Every name was recorded. And our village had been through twenty three of these battles, just like the one we experienced a couple days ago, filled with hundreds to thousands of names.

And one had the name Akazuna engraved into it.

An hour went by and Ebizo came to speak. It still amazed me that he was alive.

Myself and my two children were at the front. I felt that we weren't supposed to be at the front. But it was the family of the Kazekage who lost someone this time.

And people insisted we take the front. Ebizo came to the middle of the stage. I wondered if everyone would be able to hear him. But he started to speak and it seemed he had the loudness of a teenager rather than over an eighty year old man.

"This recent battle has indeed taken a toll on this village." he began. "We lost so many, dear friends, family, husbands, wives, and even our children. While I sat down thinking of this speech. I kept thinking about my beloved sister. Who gave her life for the village, and everyone in it. Because of the impression Konoha had on her. The bitter woman despised help from other villages. And because of this she was defined as a hero. And so everyone that died. Friends, family, husbands, wives, and, yes, even children are considered heroes." he took a break in his speech to look at the frowning faces of the villagers.

"So it seems, Suna is full of heroes, who sacrificed their lives for this village, and for the people in it. Which is what a shinobi is all about. Indirectly the definition for shinobi is a hero." Ebizo finished his speech and took the time down the stairs and walked over to the group of people who were chosen to speak The audience was appaulding along with crying because of the heartfelt speech that was just given.

Now Baki walked onto the stage. He seemed nervous at the thought of speaking to all these people who stood in front of him.

"The village has summoned the help of Konoha." He was relaying information about the village. I guess it was good that we knew about what was happening with the village. But I didn't think it was a great idea to talk about it at a memorial.

"The treaty with the enemy village will be reevaluated. We hope you will all come through with this tough time in your lives. And the council is very sorry for your loss." Baki and finished the speech and there came a small number of claps.

What a load of bullshit.

The council had nothing to do with the sending for Konoha.

Konoha is coming because Naruto wouldn't take no for an answer.

Despite Gaara's pleads that the village could handle it. Naruto requested that Gaara let him come and help.

And the treaty was already decided everyone knew that the treaty would be nothing of what Baki said and end up being no renewal, ending in a bigger problem. Or worse a bigger war. This was ridiculous. They all knew the council didn't like Gaara.

And it wouldn't matter how many times he laid down his life for them and this village. He was still a monster according to them. All they care about is making the village more rich. Nothing like us.

Every time a new answer came up to a problem. The council wouldn't listen, do it their way, and then it would be even a bigger mess.

Gaara now was on the stage. "We will now take a short break." he said. "Please enjoy the food set out for you." I asked both of them if they wanted something to eat. I was given the nasty reply from Kaura that she wasn't hungry and Hokori nodded yes.

We both went for food. "DADDY!" Hokori cried out and he ran to Gaara who was in a conversation with one of the council members. Gaara looked to Hokori and picked him up. The council member then walked away and Gaara made his way over to me.

"How is everything?" he said. He seemed like he was together. Last night he was freaking out. Believing no one wanted him to be speaking.

That no one even wanted him the Kazekage and he cried quiet tears. When Gaara cried it was quiet. It wasn't a regular cry. More like a sob and he would sniffle a lot. He would have trouble even breathing because he would cry so hard. In all the years I had been with him.

Last night was the first night I had ever seen him cry so much. Twenty minutes passed and he left and went back up on stage.

"The past few days have not only painfully passed by for you, but for myself as well. All other memorials I felt pain, the pain of loosing so many shinobi that I have worked with for years. Friends. But this far exceeds any pain I had ever experienced. It hurts to think of the smallest thing. I've lost family when I was young, but the pain doesn't compare to what it is now. I never knew this pain could ever occur inside someone. These wonderful people leave our lives, breaking our heart on their way. The crack in our heart that causes this terrible pain, forces us to think of them more and more. We hate them for causing us so much pain, but we love them for all the wonderful things they had given us for these years spent with them. The love never leaves us. Death can show us what really matters in our life. Death may be the end of the story. But it is just the beginning of another we can share with those loved ones again." These were his words that he took so long to write.

His words, filled the crack in my heart.

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**One more chapter to go and that is the Epilogue! I just want no name to have a name, and to be finished...WAH**

**Please REVIEW!  
**

_Edit. June 29th_


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes**

**And this ends Thank You...  
**

**I said I would be ending it later than today but I just wanted it done so SURPRISE!  
**

**I have now finished two fanfics! WOOHOO!  
**

**I wish i could have made this a little sadder. I orgianally planned this nothing like what i just wrote...I actually erased what I had a rewrote it.  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR SONG  
**

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**Flowers pile up in the worst way**

**No one knows what to say**

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Epilogue: Embrace

I woke up in the morning to sunlight and a coll breeze.

I was honestly not even a bit tired. I got up from my bed and looked around. This house was rebuilt so differently.

The room was too large for two people. The hall was empty and wide, it felt so empty. The flowers were lining down the hall. Filled with cards, and envelopes full of letters. I wasn't at all tired which was off. I was always tired in the morning.

My body didn't ache. Odd.

I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. It seemed to be buried in food. I walked out the door. The village was buzzing with people.

Young, old, children, men, shinobi.

I agreed to meet Temari today. So i continued on to her house. And when I got there it seemed that she had forgotten our plans. No one was home in the large home.

I walked out of the door and ventured down another road. I had a full view of the Kage building. Maybe she was there. I continued down the road to the building and opened the doors. I walked up the stairs to the office, receiving not a glance or a hello from the secretary that worked downstairs.

Were was everyone?

I now went to he memorial. And noticed two people standing by the one of the stones. The stone were my daughter's name was engraved into. I walked up behind them.

"Sakura?" one of them said. It was the man. The other was maybe a girl in her thirteens. The man turned around to me and embraced me in a hug.

And then the girl turned and I saw her face. The man let me go and then I saw his a well. "Mom!" yelled the girl and she took me into an embrace. Akazuna. Gaara.

They were here.

Over to my left somemore was Shikamaru leaning up against one of the stones. I smiled still the same.

Sasuke was over to my right. And Kaura. Hinata. Naru. Neji. TenTen.

And then I was embraced again by a tall man. And just by the way he hugged me I knew who it was. It was Kakashi. I smiled in his embrace and gave a happy smile over to Tsunade.

I smiled. I hadn't been this happy in years.

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**And finally finished. The song is Ronan by Taylor Swift.  
**

**Explanation:  
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**Sakura died from old age, so when she went to go meet Temari she wasn't home. Temari and Kankuro became more involved in the council becoming Chiyo and Ebizo like. Gaara, died protecting the village years later in a war that broke out with the same village that revolted in this story, so Sakura didn't realize it was him right away because she hasn't seen him in years. The same with Akazune it took a minute to realize who she was. Shikamaru died of old age (in the original series he said he wanted to die before his wife so I made his request come true) Sasuke died before the story began. Kaura died in the war that killed Gaara. Hinata, Naru, Neji, and TenTen died of old age. Kakashi also died of old age, as well as Tsunade. As for the people who are still alive. Shikako became Kazekage after Gaara died. Hokori became the body guard to Shikako. Kaiko in a jonin with a team, Nomi is another body guard for the Kazekage, and Tyo, Kankuro's two year old, has a hard ambition of becoming the next Kazekage.**

**Hope you liked it! Thanks for Reading and please REVIEW! I love your opinion. Prequel will be up July 14th!  
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**Edit. June 29th  
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